The present invention relates to silicone rubber materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of silicone rubber materials especially formulated and adapted for use in products exposed to and utilized in an aquatic environment.
Silicone rubber has long been the material of choice for applications requiring a composition easily formed into and able to maintain a determined, yet pliable shape. It is also the material of choice where resistance to degradation due to environmental factors such as, for example, temperature extremes, acids, bases, salts, ultraviolet light and chlorine is desired. Carbon based polymers may demonstrate favorable pliability. However, unlike silicone based rubbers, carbon polymers may be severely degraded by the afore-mentioned environmental factors and thereby quickly lose their elastometric properties (as well as the adaptive-fit quality provided thereby). Therefore, in applications where superior pliability and adaptability are required of articles exposed to harsh environmental factors, such as, for example, ear plugs, swim goggles and dive masks, carbon based polymers simply do not excel. These materials are easily degraded by environmental factors and thereafter become rigid, losing their adaptive fit qualities. As a result of the loss of such pliability, degraded carbon polymer aquatic gear can chafe and irritate the skin which they contact while, at the same time, failing to provide the water tight seal they were originally designed to provide.
The superior pliability of silicone rubber allows this polymer to be formed into virtually any shape, and thereafter adapt its form so as to precisely mate with irregular surfaces in order to provide a water tight seal. Although colorless, silicone rubber products can be pigmented to any color desired, including fluorescent colors. In addition, silicone rubber has been found to be a very well tolerated hypoallergenic material for applications involving prolonged contact with skin surfaces. Therefore, silicone rubber is an ideal material for personal swimming and diving apparel wherein a precise water tight fit is required to be maintained in an otherwise harsh environment. For all of the foregoing reasons, silicone material is especially suited for SCUBA and snorkeling masks, flippers, swim goggles, swim fins and mouth pieces utilized in scuba second stage regulators. This material is also extremely well suited for the fabrication of ear plugs worn in aquatic environments. Silicone rubber may be polymerized via a platinum catalyst. Unlike other catalysts, such as peroxides which may remain within the material and thereafter leach out upon and irritate the skin of a user, silicone rubber polymerized with platinum does not contain any excess peroxides. Also, for obvious environmental reasons, elimination of peroxide catalysts is a sound environmental alternative. The typical silicone rubber utilized in the manufacture of ear plugs is a low durometer, low modulus, high strength platinum catalyzed material.
Although silicone rubber has been successfully utilized for many decades in the afore-mentioned aquatic applications, the material has demonstrated one apparent short coming. All of the above mentioned personal water apparel and gear may, on occasion, be unintentionally lost while being worn. More particularly, the specific gravity of silicone rubber is used for the above-described gear is at least about 1.07, well above that of the specific gravity of water. Therefore, silicone rubber does not demonstrate sufficient buoyancy so as to prevent the fin, mask, goggle, ear plug, or other such silicone gear from sinking below the water""s surface if it should become detached from the wearer. Once below the surface, the negative buoyancy of the gear will cause it to sink out of reach and often become permanently lost. Even if the gear is lost in a clear pool, diving underwater, without utilizing the lost earplug, mask or goggle designed to seal water away from sensitive ear canals or the eye, defeats the purpose of utilizing the gear in the first place.
It would therefore be highly advantageous if a silicone rubber material could be formulated, demonstrating all of the above-described desirable properties while, at the same time, demonstrating a specific gravity sufficiently less than water so as to enable the subject article to float. It would be further advantageous to fabricate personal gear and apparel, such as flippers, masks, snorkels, goggles, eye cases, eye glass holders and ear plugs, of a sufficient amount of said buoyant silicone rubber, so as to prevent such objects from sinking below the surface in an aquatic environment.
Now in accordance with the present invention, a buoyant silicone rubber compositionxe2x80x94and a process for preparing same is disclosedxe2x80x94. The buoyant silicone rubber of the present invention demonstrates a specific gravity less than that of water and attains such through the incorporation of hollow micro spheres within the composition. Therefore, the present invention advantageously selects hollow micro spheres demonstrating a specific gravity substantially less than that of water (1) and far less than the below-described polydimethyl siloxane in order to form a silicone product with an overall specific gravity less than 1.
The present invention discloses, not only the above-described buoyant silicone compound and process for preparing same, but also discloses personal aquatic gear advantageously incorporating this floatable material. For example, the buoyant silicone rubber of the present invention is especially suited for the manufacture of personal aquatic gear such as earplugs, eyeglass framesxe2x80x94including sun glass framesxe2x80x94, swim goggles, diving masks, and snorkels commonly utilized in and about an aquatic environment. Since the process and compound of the present invention enable such articles made thereby and thereof to float, the utility of all such articles in an aquatic environmentxe2x80x94and the safety against loss of such articles enabled therebyxe2x80x94is greatly enhanced.
As discussed in greater detail below, the compound and process of the present invention also contemplates the incorporation of plasticizing agents within the silicone rubber compound so as to increase pliability of articles comprised thereof. Plasticizing agents are especially useful for incorporation into the present compound in applications wherein the buoyant silicone rubber will be utilized for articles and devices wherein pliability is of great value. For example, earplugs, dive masks, swim goggles, and the mouth pieces of diving/snorkel equipment require high pliability so as to perfectly adapt and achieve a water-tight seal about the eyes, nose, mouth and ears of individuals using same. In addition, the present invention also contemplates incorporation of pigments as coloring agents when such is desired for esthetic reasons.
The process of the present invention is comprised of admixing polydimethyl siloxane with the afore-mentioned hollow micro spheres at a rate so as to assure complete and uniform dispersion of the micro spheres within the uncured silicone polymer. Thereafter, upon curing, the low density micro spheres, incorporated uniformly within the silicone polymer, yields a sufficient enough decrease in overall composition density so as to provide buoyancy.
The silicone rubber of the present invention is advantageously comprised of from about 85-99% by weight polydimethyl siloxane and from about 1-15% by weight hollow micro spheres. Polydimethyl siloxane may be purchased from any commercial supplier such as, for example, Wacker Silicones Corporation, 3301 Sutton Road, Adrian, Mich. 49221. Hollow micro spheres suitable for use in practicing the present invention may be comprised of a polyacrylonitrile, or a polymethacrylonitrile. It is preferred that the micro spheres are selected to demonstrate a mean particle diameter of from 10-500 microns so as to assure a uniform and consistent integration. Suitable micro spheres may be purchased from PQ Corporation, Valley Forge, Pa., PM 6545 or any other commercial supplier of hollow micro spheres. When, as described below, the silicone rubber composition incorporates a plasticizing agent and/or pigment(s), it is preferred that the compound be comprised of from about 85 to 99 weight percent polydimethyl siloxane, from about 1 to 15 weight percent hollow micro spheres, from about 1 to 5 weight percent plasticizing agent and from about 1 to 5 weight percent pigment.
The buoyant silicone rubber of the present invention is prepared by gradually admixing a selected percentage weight of microspheres to a pre-determined weight quantity of polydimethyl siloxane utilizing a blade mixer such as, for example, a 5 gallon sigma blade mixer manufactured by a 5 gallon sigma blade mixer manufactured by Baker Perkins. The microspheres must be added to the mixer at a very slow rate so as to assure uniform and full dispersed mixture. Thus it is preferred that the mixer be set to a maximum speed of from about 10 to 14 RPM.
Desired pigments, of any selected color, such as those manufactured by Grayson Specialty Dispersions Inc., Barberton, Ohio, may be advantageously incorporated into the mixture. In addition, plasticity enhancement additives such as HA-2, manufactured by Dow Corning Corporation may be advantageously incorporated therein. The constituent materials are blended until all components are uniformly dispersed. Thereafter, the mixture may be injected into molds configured in accordance with the desired shape of the articles and devices described above and thereafter cured via a catalyst. It is preferred that crosslinking be attained through a platinum catalyzed hydrosilation reaction so as to avoid the presence of free catalyst in the final product.
It is an object of the present invention that articles such as, for example, ear plugs, goggles, masks and fins produced in accordance with the methods and compositions disclosed herein exhibit positive buoyancy. Thus, the specific gravity of the hollow micro spheres utilized in practicing the present invention must be selected to be less than 1. It is preferred to select microspheres demonstrating a specific gravity of from about 0.001 grams per cubic centimeter to about 0.100 grams per cubic centimeter. By varying either the weight percentage or specific gravity of microspheres added to the polydimethyl siloxane rubber those skilled in the art may adjust the overall specific gravity and thus buoyancy of the resultant material. Thus the degree of buoyancy of the final product may be controlled. For articles made entirely of silicone rubber such as, for example, ear plugs, only a minimum amount of microspheres, within the above-described weight range percentages is requiredxe2x80x94in that no other material exhibiting negative buoyancy is attached thereto requiring flotationxe2x80x94. However, gear such as, for example, diving masks and eyeglass frames, which may incorporate other materials having negative buoyancy, will require an increased weight percentage of micro sphere, within the above-described weight range of 1-15%, in order to provide overall buoyancy to the entire object. In addition, gear incorporating materials exhibiting such negative buoyancy, may be selected to incorporate micro spheres demonstrating the lowest specific gravity within the above-described range so as to further reduce the specific gravity of the overall product.